Intracranial actinomycosis: Case report and review of literature

Abstract

Actinomycosis infection is a slow progressing disease, in which involvment of the central nervous system by Actinomyces israelii is uncommon (less than 5%). Clinical picture is non-specific and is often misdiagnosed with neoplasia; some clinical clues my arise suspicion. The case of a 59 year-old female is reported who presented headache and focal neurologic signs and in whom a out-of the hospital diagnosis of a neuroepitelial dysembryoplastic tumor was made; nonetheless after careful interview and physical exploration, a spectroscopy magnetic resonance of the brain and hystopathological description of the lesion was made and yielded the definitive diagnosis of intracranial actinomyces infection. Treatment and progression were uneventful.